Transcript Document
Scottish Attachment in Action 27th March 2015 Lio Moscardini and Heather Baldry Learning Together about Making Choices Developing and sustaining an inclusive model of support for children with attachment issues as they move through school: a longitudinal study Scene setting What do you understand to be the teacher’s experience of unmet attachment needs in the classroom? Teachers are facing behaviours which cannot be sorted by a strategy. Toolkit approach problematic Starting with the child Management or understanding ? Self-regulation - able to alter their behaviour - make choices supported by reward systems etc. - can learn to fit behaviour to the occasion - learn to select behaviours unable to make choices - no internal dialogue - behaviour is instinctive and self-protective - unaware of their own behaviour or that of others - they need help to become aware of what they are doing - specific help to self-regulate and eventually to make choices - behaviour management strategies exacerbate the problem Outline of project 2011-2014 • Two urban primary schools – • Small group of children moving from Jeely Nursery to schools • Focus on building capacity - developing teachers’ knowledge and understanding to support all children • Development activities focussed on whole school and linking theoretical knowledge to practice – and policy • Key role of a liaison person • Lessons learned and acted upon part of ongoing process Child-school Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Parent/carer-school Child-parent Investigating: Culture - Policies - Practice Transition from JN- Primary Expectations Classroom practices Experiences School support measures Coping with change Teachers’ knowledge and beliefs Establish role of DofL Expectations/ aspirations Adversity protective environment / Coping with change Coping with change Holiday periods Children’s experiences Evidence of development of secure attachment Establish role of DofL Establish role of DofL Transition Continuation in response to critical action research model Continuation in response to critical action research model Continuation in response to critical action research model Communication - change of class/teacher Involvement - reproduction of transition process Continuation in response Ongoing support measures to critical action research Ongoing evidence of continuation of model development of secure attachment Continuation of transition process in response to critical action research model Lessons from the Jeely Nursery The Jeely Nursery provided children with a narrative to their own lives and experiences which enabled them to see themselves as actors in their own daily lived experience. They learned to detach themselves from unthinking emotional action and reaction which governed their behaviour (which was disruptive and destructive), to stand back and become accepting to the idea that in each situation they could present themselves with a choice about what they might do next. The choice was taught by key workers over time. The narrative of their own lives now provided the basis for growing autonomy and self-directedness. They were taught how to gain control and were aware of, and gained satisfaction from, doing it. The parents learned the same lessons and their own understanding grew. Underlying all activities in the JN was the aim to provide children with the opportunities to come as close as possible to achieving the secure, confident, autonomous state which is the inheritance of those who achieved a secure attachment base when they were very young. In addition, if progress made is to be sustained, close links with the family need to be maintained and familial adults also need to understand the significance of relationships and their role in the life of their child. Work in this area similarly contributes to the extrinsic factors identified in the GIRFEC resilience matrix. Five interlocking principles for a secure base for learning • Establish a positive relationship based on informed action, a real interchange, rethinking set patterns of relationship between the teacher and the child. (pedagogy and knowledge & beliefs) • Be sensitive and responsive, recognizing that individual children are entitled to have their feelings recognized and acknowledged. Recognise this as an opportunity for teachers’ own learning. (relationships, interaction and ethos) • Recognise children as individuals and explicitly acknowledge their dignity, value and capability. (relationships, interaction and ethos) • Recognising parents as individuals, rethinking patterns of relationships and acknowledge their dignity, value and capacity. (parents) • The above principles to be recognized in an agreed, whole school commitment to the help and support of children who have experienced negative attachment, developed from a shared understanding that is consistently monitored and addressed. This culture to be inclusive of both teachers and parents. A whole school approach to teacher learning. (support systems) Adapted from Cairns, K. (2002) Attachment, trauma and resilence: Therapeutic caring for children. London; BAAF. Investigating culture, policy and practice • • • • Pedagogy and knowledge & beliefs Relationships, interaction and ethos Parents Support frameworks Pedagogy and knowledge & beliefs Teachers stated initially unsure how to differentiate between ‘naughty’ behaviour and behaviour caused by unmet attachment needs. Some teachers had previous training on nurture in which they stated they also learned about attachment Consistently some people commented they could not make the link between theory and practice. August 2011 - 2014 ‘I’ve found that since working with (Liaison person) it’s effected … I’m thinking more about what I’m saying to children. I’ve found the positive affirmations of what they’re doing really interesting. I found the whole thing about the play being child-led and not asking questions and directing the child play, I found that really interesting and that’s kind of affected how I’m interacting with kids.’ Relationships and ethos Referring to project‘It’s opened up discussion you know and it’s nice for all these teachers that have these children to know that they can chat about the project and about children and we feel as if there’s a network of support, you know it’s good.’ ‘There was a lot of discussion when we had the evening session because we felt as if it was very, very beneficial for us. There was quite a lot of discussion followed that yeah.’ ‘Previously I recognised children with acting out behaviours. Now I am more aware of withdrawn behaviours, particularly with girls. It has helped me identify children that I would now be more concerned about. Before I would just have said that they are quiet and withdrawn now I think more about how to bring them in.’ Parents and carers This is a challenging area. Issues of communication and information sharing. Shift from early years to primary school. Continued to work on this for duration of project. Building relationships with parents/carers takes time. Attitudinal barriers and presumptions but also some examples of stronger links between schools and particular parents. Example of C’s mum Support frameworks Gaps in communication and sharing of information Knowledge of support systems - GIRFEC and Staged Intervention Consistency of practice Systems led – lack of connection between theory, policy and practice ‘ someone else will be dealing with it…’ Supporting teacher learning Cautious about overgeneralising Connecting theory – practice – policy Policy is no guarantee of practice it is what individual teachers know, believe and do that matters Teachers highly responsive Able to use new knowledge Afternoon discussion This group of vulnerable children remain hidden in the primary school. Knowledge, skills and understanding required to identify and interpret underlying behaviours Getting through the masking Professional noticing Attending to child/ young person’s strategies Interpreting child/ young person’s understandings Deciding how to respond on basis of child/ young person’s understanding Adapted from: Jacobs, V. R., Lamb, L.L.C., & Philipp, R. A. (2010). Professional noticing of children’s mathematical thinking, Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, (41), 2, 169-202. Interpreting This is dependent on the depth of knowledge of individuals teachers. This learning takes time and is linked to teachers’ confidence and self-efficacy. The liaison person had a crucial role here. She was not a teacher. Is there anything that you do, or could do, that supports teachers’ practice in this area? Emerging issues from project to consider: - Teachers’ knowledge and beliefs - Teachers’ confidence - Shared understandings and values - Communication - Collaboration with parents/carers - Leadership - Support structures Lessons learned and materials that have been developed in collaboration with the schools over the course of the three year project will be drawn together and made available to the schools in a functional format. Scaling up In order to achieve deep and lasting change we recognise the need to engage with school systems and their cultures and to avoid superficiality and mere programme innovation. In scaling up the project we will continue to use an enquiring approach in which we will work collaboratively with school staff, parents and other professionals utilising a relational framework which considers: inclusive policies; inclusive practices and inclusive cultures.